Please Explain: The disappearing middle class (With Poll)

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Drekce
Do you think the middle class in America is disappearing?

No, the Government says Middle Class is doing better than ever.

People that spew this garbage must be on crack.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Drekce
Do you think the middle class in America is disappearing?

No, the Government says Middle Class is doing better than ever.

People that spew this garbage must be on crack.

So uhh... how's the war on drugs going?

 

[DefDC]

The predatory nature of credit/credit cards isn't helping. Many of the people you see living in their upper-middleclass home are making lower-middle class wages. And that's when both parents are working. God forbid something happens to one of them and they can't make a payment.

Lenders are more than happy to overqualify people for more money than they need. If something happens, they can foreclose on the house, that has, more than likely, appreciated and resell for a profit.

Minimum wage hasn't raised in almost 10 years. To the people saying that people remain poor because they are lazy, they should be thankful that they were raised in a way that allowed them that upward mobililty. Poor people are extremely hamstrung into their class. It's hard to take classes or train for another job if the only jobs are part time at fast food and Wal-mart, and you have to work both.

Another thing that makes me crazy is people complaining about the lazy homeless. Remember in New York City, during Guliani, they almost COMPLETELY GOT RID OF the panhandlers... How? They took them to get the mental help they needed. THEY WERE SICK. But, I don't think that's what you were asking...

My wife works as a social worker, to rehabilitate and train people that were injured, or are unable to work in their previous line of work. They help provide training and materials to people who WANT TO WORK. And, of course, the compassionate conservatives keep slashing their funding. Every attempt towards helping people work above the poverty level is being attacked by "Cut Taxes" idiots. Taxes are there for a reason. If you really are a patriotic American, pay them, and appreciate the great country you live in. If any taxes need to trimmed, it's in corporate welfare. Espeically corporations that outsource, and don't keep corporate offices in the US so they can dodge even more.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Drekce
Do you think the middle class in America is disappearing?

No, the Government says Middle Class is doing better than ever.

People that spew this garbage must be on crack.

So uhh... how's the war on drugs going?

Apparently not so good as you can see by number of people on crack.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
In my area there's a line at which point you can't afford a house, but can easily afford an apartment with money to spare.

When the entry price to a house is $300k. You need to make about $60,000 to really afford to buy a house. But you can live comfortably in an apartment making $30,000 a year. So if you're within that range you're kinda hosed. And that seems to be a signifigant gap. Most home buyers are double income families. A single guy is virtually pushed out of the housing market.

now wait a second, shouldn't the average semi-motivated college graduate be making 60K within 5 years after college? engineers make that amount starting right out..also there's always the part where you could buy that 300K house, and get a roomate..do you really need 3 bdrm/2 bath for yourself?

Most of the areas where young professionals work the cost of real estate is significantly higher.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: DefDC
Lenders are more than happy to overqualify people for more money than they need. If something happens, they can foreclose on the house, that has, more than likely, appreciated and resell for a profit.

I qualified for a home loan that would've had payments that were $100 more than my take home pay on a normal month. (two biweekly paychecks)

 

[bobdelt]

"Yeah clinton had a realstifled economy! Also, it is much better to bring 100s of billion to the country's debt rather than raise taxes to pay for things! That doesn't do ANYTHING harmful!"

The economy was in a recession when Clinton left office. The deficit would have happened regardless.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: DefDC
Lenders are more than happy to overqualify people for more money than they need. If something happens, they can foreclose on the house, that has, more than likely, appreciated and resell for a profit.

I qualified for a home loan that would've had payments that were $100 more than my take home pay on a normal month. (two biweekly paychecks)

Your forgetting about the tax effect. 25% of your house payment for mortgage + prop taxes is covered by tax deductions.

And yes, the lenders are gonna lose their asses. Feds should be launching an investigation on the whole housing industry and its corrupt practices.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: shadow9d9

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Drekce

Originally posted by: DeadByDawn
I live in the midwest and what I see is somewhat stagnant wages with rapidly increasing health care and energy prices among the people I know.

While healthcare and energy costs have increased in the past few years, they have not to the point of causing a massive shift in the "financial class" of many Americans. Okay, gas is expensive, but for an average family of 4 the increase of gasoline to $3.00/gallon (from $1.50) may increase their yearly cost by $900. If you add in heating costs (lets go high and say $1000) that is not even $2k/year.

Originally posted by: JS80
Yes it is, all the middle class are becoming upper middle class.

I completely agree. Look at all of the "McMansions" popping up everywhere.

And the "low class" which mainly consist of complacent people who don't want to advance themselves, stay there or move up slightly, well, because they're complacent. Then they get jealous and vote a democrat into office to raise taxes and increase social welfare and stifle the economy.

Yeah clinton had a realstifled economy! Also, it is much better to bring 100s of billion to the country's debt rather than raise taxes to pay for things! That doesn't do ANYTHING harmful!

please take a poll of 300 million americans and ask them if they're willing to take a tax hike. everyone's willing to accept something, unless it affects them. tax everyone else, but not me. since politicians care more about their career than the health of this nation, they will never make a move that will get their a$$es kicked out of office, but helps the country immensely.

 

[FoBoT]

bullcarp